I ran 4:37 in the 1600 recently, and the race was in terrible conditions, ad I felt terrible. Next day I run the 3200, in perfect conditions, and I run 10:13. And it's not because I don't have stamina; I used statsgangsta's calculator and with my 2:07 800 and 4:37 mile I should be able to run 10:00. I feel like I can't hold my splits in the 3200 properly. Anyone have advice on how to mentally be tougher and hold splits?
The problem isn't mental toughness. If you make something a test of willpower, that something will always win, because willpower eventually runs out. At some point, physiology wins.
Yes, you should be able to hit 10:00...but what's your 5K time? It might just be a matter of your needing more aerobic endurance. Lots of people do in HS. Run more miles, do more tempo runs, do more long intervals. If you're right on the edge the whole time you're racing, you can't race smart.
Or if your endurance is OK, then look carefully at your splits, especially the first 200/400. If you go out too fast, you put yourself on the edge for the rest of the race. Force yourself to take the first 200 in 37.5 and the first lap in 75. Stay on pace.
Or it might just be race experience. Have you run the 3200 a lot? You should feel completely in control running 5:00 pace so that you can execute your race plan over the last 600m.
Mental toughness isn't something that shows up at the end of the race. You show mental toughness by training consistently and racing intelligently over the first 6 laps. If you don't do that, being tough won't help you. If you are doing that, then you don't need mental toughness. Just fitness, patience, and experience.
I started out in 36, 73, so I don't think too fast. The only guys ahead of me were trying to hit 4:50 at 1600, and I think I just got dropped and didn't have a reference point. If there's no one to pace off of, what's the best way to hit splits?
rennur sh wrote:
I started out in 36, 73, so I don't think too fast. The only guys ahead of me were trying to hit 4:50 at 1600, and I think I just got dropped and didn't have a reference point. If there's no one to pace off of, what's the best way to hit splits?
Practice hitting splits in practice. If you think you can run 10:00, then you should be able to manage 12 x 400 in 75 with 200 recovery without killing it. Aim to hit 75 on every repeat. You can also do 6 x 800 or 4 x 1000 with 400 recovery.
36, 73 is probably a hair too fast. If you want to break 10 in a race, aim to get to 2000m in 6:!5 with even splits, then go after it.
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